Panko-Crusted Chicken Tenders

Panko -- flaky Japanese breadcrumbs -- crisp up nicely in very little oil. You can find them on the Asian ingredients shelves of most supermarkets. You will not use up all of the flour, eggs and panko, but it will be much easier to bread the chicken tenders evenly if you have an abundance of coatings.

Say goodbye to fast-food chicken nuggets.

  • 1 pound chicken tenders, cut in half if desired
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten with 2 tablespoons cold water
  • 2 cups panko
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil or peanut oil

1. Season the chicken tenders with salt and pepper. Put the flour in one shallow pie plate or baking dish, the egg mixture in another, and the panko in another. One at a time, dredge the chicken tenders in flour to coat them lightly but evenly. Tap to release excess flour, then dip in the egg mixture, and finally in the panko, turning and rolling the tenders to coat evenly. This will not be messy if you use tongs, or use one hand for dipping into the dry ingredients and the other for dipping into the egg. Make sure the tenders are evenly coated. Shake off the excess crumbs. Place on a baking sheet, and chill uncovered for 15 minutes or up to a day.

2. Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil. When it is rippling hot, add the breaded tenders. Turn the heat down to medium, and cook for four to five minutes on each side, until golden brown and crisp. Cook in batches, if necessary, so that you don’t crowd the pan. Watch carefully; the panko should not blacken, but the chicken tenders should be dark brown on each side. Remove from the heat and serve.

Yield: Serves four

Advance preparation: The chicken can be breaded up to a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

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